An exploration of the internationalisation of the nursing and midwifery curriculum in Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

This study explored curriculum developers’ experiences of developing and internationalising the nursing and midwifery curriculum in Brunei Darussalam (henceforth: ‘Brunei’), and students’ and graduates’ views of learning from the curriculum. The internationalisation of the curriculum, in education generally and health care and nursing in particular, has featured as a phenomenon in much global literature, describing attempts to ensure that curricula are fit for purpose, both to meet globally acceptable standards and accommodate an increasingly mobile workforce. A qualitative case study approach was used for the research. Data were collected from 34 participants (curriculum developers [n=17], students [n=8], graduates [n=9]) through semi-structured in-depth individual interviews. Qualitative data analysis used grounded theory principles and thematic analytic methods. Literature indicated that the evolution of the internationalisation of the nursing and midwifery curriculum in Brunei initially occurred due to the influence of the British over Brunei, from 1888 until 1983. The findings in this study showed that, in contemporary times, the integration of international perspectives into the curriculum has been culturally influenced whereby only perspectives considered as usable, culturally acceptable and applicable in Brunei would be selected for the curriculum. These international perspectives were further adapted to ensure relevancy to the Brunei context, in order to preserve its local identity. Data also indicated that curriculum users have contrasting perceptions on what constitutes relevance. Importantly students and graduates have particular views which characteristically were ignored in curriculum development. This study has implications for the development of an internationally oriented curriculum in nursing and midwifery which takes into account the cultural context of a specific country. Since there existed different perceptions of curriculum developers and those engaging with and learning through the curriculum, the study also points to a need to involve students in the curriculum design, an inclusion that is not apparently commonplace.

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